Adam Wilk

ADAM WILK
LEFT HANDED PITCHER
Born: December 9, 1987
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 180
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Drafted: 11th round, 330th overall, 2009 (Tigers)
How Acquired: Minor league free agent
College: California State Univ., Long Beach
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Wilk is a soft-tossing lefty.  His fastball averages only 87-88, but he throws a change, curve and slider, and has very good control.  He’s never pitched in relief in the minors.  Wilk has consistently produced good results in the minors, but hasn’t missed many bats.  He’s also a flyball pitcher.  It hasn’t caused him many gopher ball problems in the minors except in AAA.  In the majors, he’s allowed seven longballs in just 24.1 IP.  He hasn’t had significant platoon splits in the minors, so he might not profile as a LOOGY.  The Pirates signed him to a minor league contract for 2014, with an invitation to spring training.

2009
A-:  2-0-0, 1.45 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 37.1 IP, 1.2 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
A:  2-1-0, 1.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 36.1 IP, 0.5 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

Wilk made seven starts each in short season ball and low A, and put up remarkably similar numbers at each stop.

2010
A+:  9-5-0, 3.01 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 143.2 IP, 1.2 BB/9, 6.3 K/9
AA:  2-0-0, 1.14 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, 23.2 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 5.3 K/9

Wilk pitched very well in high A and even better in three starts in AA.  The negative was that he didn’t miss many bats.

2011
AAA:  8-6-0, 3.24 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 102.2 IP, 1.2 BB/9, 6.7 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

Wilk opened the season in AAA, but the Tigers called him up in late May.  He made several trips back and forth over the next two months.  During his time in AAA, he continued to pitch well with a low K rate.  He had some problems with gopher balls, allowing 15.

2012
AAA:  7-11-0, 2.77 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 149.2 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 7.7 K/9
MLB:  0-3-0, 8.18 ERA, 2.18 WHIP, 11.0 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 5.7 K/9

The Tigers called Wilk up for three spot starts in mid-April and he got hammered, allowing 21 hits in 11 innings.  He spent most of the season in AAA and improved over the previous season, allowing fewer hits and missing more bats.  After the season, the Tigers released him so he could sign with a Korean team.

2013
KOREA

Wilk went 4-8, 4.12 in 91.2 IP, but his season ended early due to a shoulder injury.  He also appears to have gotten into some sort of beef with his team.

2014
AAA:  7-14-1, 4.72 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 1.46.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 6.5 K/9

Wilk spent the season mainly as a starter for Indianapolis.  He seems to have been more a guy to take up some innings than anything else.  He didn’t have an ERA below 4.00 in any month.  Opponents batted a healthy 291/341/475 against him.  He held left-handed batters to a .647 OPS but right-handed batters put up an .868 OPS.

Wilk doesn’t have the seven years for minor league free agency, but he signed a one-year contract with the Pirates, so I believe he’ll be eligible for free agency this fall.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Majors
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MLB.com
MiLB.com
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2015: Minor league contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $68,000
MiLB Debut: 2009
MLB Debut: 5/26/2011
MiLB FA Eligible: Eligible
MLB FA Eligible: 2019
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Added to 40-Man: 5/24/2011
Options Remaining: 1 (USED:  2011, 2012)
MLB Service Time: 0.052
TRANSACTIONS
June 9, 2009: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 11th round, 330th overall pick; signed on June 18.
May 24, 2011: Contract purchased by the Detroit Tigers.
December 19, 2012: Released by the Detroit Tigers.
December 18, 2013: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.